105 lines
8.8 KiB
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105 lines
8.8 KiB
XML
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<div2 id="Rom.i" n="i" next="Rom.ii" prev="Rom" progress="30.88%" title="Introduction">
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<h2 id="Rom.i-p0.1">Romans</h2>
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<p class="Center" id="Rom.i-p1">Completed by <span class="smallcaps" id="Rom.i-p1.1">John Evans</span>.</p>
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<hr/>
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<pb id="Rom.i-Page_363" n="363"/>
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<div class="Center" id="Rom.i-p1.3">
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<p id="Rom.i-p2"><b>AN</b></p>
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<h3 id="Rom.i-p2.1">EXPOSITION,</h3>
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<h4 id="Rom.i-p2.2">W I T H P R A C T I C A L O B S E
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R V A T I O N S,</h4>
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<h5 id="Rom.i-p2.3">OF THE EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO</h5>
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<h2 id="Rom.i-p2.4">T H E R O M A N S.</h2>
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<hr style="width:2in"/>
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</div>
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<p class="indent" id="Rom.i-p3"><span class="smallcaps" id="Rom.i-p3.1">If</span> we may
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compare scripture with scripture, and take the opinion of some
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devout and pious persons, in the Old Testament David's Psalms, and
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in the New Testament Paul's Epistles, are stars of the first
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magnitude, that differ from the other stars in glory. The whole
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scripture is indeed an epistle from heaven to earth: but in it we
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have upon record several particular epistles, more of Paul's than
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of any other, for he was the chief of the apostles, and laboured
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more abundantly than they all. His natural parts, I doubt not, were
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very pregnant; his apprehension was quick and piercing; his
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expressions were fluent and copious; his affections, wherever he
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took, very warm and zealous, and his resolutions no less bold and
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daring: this made him, before his conversion, a very keen and
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bitter persecutor; but when the strong man armed was dispossessed,
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and the stronger than he came to divide the spoil and to sanctify
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these qualifications, he became the most skilful zealous preacher;
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never any better fitted to win souls, nor more successful. Fourteen
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of his epistles we have in the canon of scripture; many more, it is
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probable, he wrote in the course of his ministry, which might be
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profitable enough for doctrine, for reproof, &c., but, not
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being given by inspiration of God, they were not received as
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canonical scripture, nor handed down to us. Six epistles, said to
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be Paul's, written to Seneca, and eight of Seneca's to him, are
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spoken of by some of the ancients [<i>Sixt. Senens. Biblioth.
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Sanct.</i> lib. 2] and are extant; but, upon the first view, they
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appear spurious and counterfeit.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Rom.i-p4">This epistle to the Romans is placed first,
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not because of the priority of its date, but because of the
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superlative excellency of the epistle, it being one of the longest
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and fullest of all, and perhaps because of the dignity of the place
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to which it is written. Chrysostom would have this epistle read
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over to him twice a week. It is gathered from some passages in the
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epistle that it was written <i>Anno Christi</i> 56, from Corinth,
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while Paul made a short stay there in his way to Troas, <scripRef id="Rom.i-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.20.5-Acts.20.6" parsed="|Acts|20|5|20|6" passage="Ac 20:5,6">Acts xx. 5, 6</scripRef>. He commendeth to the
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Romans Phebe, a servant of the church at Cenchrea (<scripRef id="Rom.i-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:Rom.16.1" parsed="|Rom|16|1|0|0" passage="Ro 16:1"><i>ch.</i> xvi.</scripRef>), which was a place
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belonging to Corinth. He calls Gaius his <i>host,</i> or the man
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with whom he lodged (<scripRef id="Rom.i-p4.3" osisRef="Bible:Rom.16.23" parsed="|Rom|16|23|0|0" passage="Ro 16:23"><i>ch.</i> xvi.
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23</scripRef>), and he was a Corinthian, not the same with Gaius of
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Derbe, mentioned <scripRef id="Rom.i-p4.4" osisRef="Bible:Acts.20.4" parsed="|Acts|20|4|0|0" passage="Ac 20:4">Acts xx</scripRef>.
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Paul was now going up to Jerusalem, with the money that was given
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to the poor saints there; and of that he speaks, <scripRef id="Rom.i-p4.5" osisRef="Bible:Rom.15.26" parsed="|Rom|15|26|0|0" passage="Ro 15:26"><i>ch.</i> xv. 26</scripRef>. The great mysteries
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treated of in this epistle must needs produce in this, as in other
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writings of Paul, many things dark and hard to be understood,
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<scripRef id="Rom.i-p4.6" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.3.16" parsed="|2Pet|3|16|0|0" passage="2Pe 3:16">2 Peter iii. 16</scripRef>. The method
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of this (as of several other of the epistles) is observable; the
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former part of it doctrinal, in the first eleven chapters; the
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latter part practical, in the last five: to inform the judgment and
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to reform the life. And the best way to understand the truths
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explained in the former part is to abide and abound in the practice
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of the duties prescribed in the latter part; for, if any man will
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do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, <scripRef id="Rom.i-p4.7" osisRef="Bible:John.7.17" parsed="|John|7|17|0|0" passage="Joh 7:17">John vii. 17</scripRef>.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Rom.i-p5">I. The doctrinal part of the epistles
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instructs us,</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Rom.i-p6">1. Concerning the way of salvation (1.) The
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foundation of it laid in justification, and that not by the
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Gentiles' works of nature (<scripRef id="Rom.i-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Rom.1.32" parsed="|Rom|1|32|0|0" passage="Ro 1:32"><i>ch.</i>
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i.</scripRef>), nor by the Jews' works of the law (<scripRef id="Rom.i-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Rom.2.1-Rom.3.31" parsed="|Rom|2|1|3|31" passage="Ro 2:1-3:31"><i>ch.</i> ii., iii.</scripRef>), for both
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Jews and Gentiles were liable to the curse; but only by faith in
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Jesus Christ, <scripRef id="Rom.i-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:Rom.3.21-Rom.4.25" parsed="|Rom|3|21|4|25" passage="Ro 3:21-4:25"><i>ch.</i> iii. 21,
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&c.; <i>ch.</i> iv</scripRef>. (2.) The steps of this salvation
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are, [1.] Peace with God, <scripRef id="Rom.i-p6.4" osisRef="Bible:Rom.5.1-Rom.5.21" parsed="|Rom|5|1|5|21" passage="Ro 5:1-21"><i>ch.</i>
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v</scripRef>. [2.] Sanctification, <scripRef id="Rom.i-p6.5" osisRef="Bible:Rom.6.1-Rom.7.25" parsed="|Rom|6|1|7|25" passage="Ro 6:1-7:25"><i>ch.</i> vi., vii</scripRef>. [3.] Glorification,
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<scripRef id="Rom.i-p6.6" osisRef="Bible:Rom.8.1-Rom.8.39" parsed="|Rom|8|1|8|39" passage="Ro 8:1-39"><i>ch.</i> viii</scripRef>.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Rom.i-p7">2. Concerning the persons saved, such as
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belong to the election of grace (<scripRef id="Rom.i-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Rom.9.1-Rom.9.33" parsed="|Rom|9|1|9|33" passage="Ro 9:1-33"><i>ch.</i> ix.</scripRef>), Gentiles and Jews,
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<scripRef id="Rom.i-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Rom.10.1-Rom.11.36" parsed="|Rom|10|1|11|36" passage="Ro 10:1-11:36"><i>ch.</i> x., xi</scripRef>. By
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this it appears that the subjects he discourses of were such as were
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then the present truths, as the apostle speaks, <scripRef id="Rom.i-p7.3" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.1.12" parsed="|2Pet|1|12|0|0" passage="2Pe 1:12">2 Peter i. 12</scripRef>. Two things the Jews then
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stumbled at—justification by faith without the works of the law,
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and the admission of the Gentiles into the church; and therefore
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both these he studied to clear and vindicate.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Rom.i-p8">II. The practical part follows, wherein we
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find, 1. Several general exhortations proper for all Christians,
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<scripRef id="Rom.i-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Rom.12.1-Rom.12.21" parsed="|Rom|12|1|12|21" passage="Ro 12:1-21"><i>ch.</i> xii</scripRef>. 2.
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Directions for our behaviour, as members of civil society,
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<scripRef id="Rom.i-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Rom.13.1-Rom.13.14" parsed="|Rom|13|1|13|14" passage="Ro 13:1-14"><i>ch.</i> xiii</scripRef>. 3. Rules
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for the conduct of Christians to one another, as members of the
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Christian church, <scripRef id="Rom.i-p8.3" osisRef="Bible:Rom.14.1-Rom.15.14" parsed="|Rom|14|1|15|14" passage="Ro 14:1-15:14"><i>ch.</i> xiv.
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and <i>ch.</i> xv. 1-14</scripRef>.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Rom.i-p9">III. As he draws towards a conclusion, he
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makes an apology for writing to them (<scripRef id="Rom.i-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Rom.15.14-Rom.15.16" parsed="|Rom|15|14|15|16" passage="Ro 15:14-16"><i>ch.</i> xv. 14-16</scripRef>), gives them an
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account of himself and his own affairs (<scripRef id="Rom.i-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:Rom.15.17-Rom.15.21" parsed="|Rom|15|17|15|21" passage="Ro 15:17-21"><i>v.</i> 17-21</scripRef>), promises them a visit
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(<scripRef id="Rom.i-p9.3" osisRef="Bible:Rom.15.22-Rom.15.29" parsed="|Rom|15|22|15|29" passage="Ro 15:22-29"><i>v.</i> 22-29</scripRef>), begs
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their prayers (<scripRef id="Rom.i-p9.4" osisRef="Bible:Rom.15.30-Rom.15.32" parsed="|Rom|15|30|15|32" passage="Ro 15:30-32"><i>v.</i>
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30-32</scripRef>), sends particular salutations to many friends
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there (<scripRef id="Rom.i-p9.5" osisRef="Bible:Rom.16.1-Rom.16.16" parsed="|Rom|16|1|16|16" passage="Ro 16:1-16"><i>ch.</i> xvi.
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1-16</scripRef>), warns them against those who caused divisions
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(<scripRef id="Rom.i-p9.6" osisRef="Bible:Rom.16.17-Rom.16.20" parsed="|Rom|16|17|16|20" passage="Ro 16:17-20"><i>v.</i> 17-20</scripRef>), adds
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the salutations of his friends with him (<scripRef id="Rom.i-p9.7" osisRef="Bible:Rom.16.21-Rom.16.23" parsed="|Rom|16|21|16|23" passage="Ro 16:21-23"><i>v.</i> 21-23</scripRef>), and ends with a
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benediction to them and a doxology to God (<scripRef id="Rom.i-p9.8" osisRef="Bible:Rom.16.24-Rom.16.27" parsed="|Rom|16|24|16|27" passage="Ro 16:24-27"><i>v.</i> 24-27</scripRef>).</p>
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</div2>
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